jcc123
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Posts posted by jcc123
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Well, that's easy for Garmin to change. It's only a software change for the Nuvi to display in either port or land. They can just put in a button that allows users to change it what they want...So agaiin, The Nuvi has the Or and Co beat...
They can even choose to stick in an accelerometer like the iPhone/Touch so that it will automatically change the view depending on how you hold the unit....
OK, you don't understand what I'm talking about. Have fun with your Nuvi, just don't run out of batteries.
I think perhaps it is you who don't understand what I'm saying. If you were to turn the Nuvi on it's side so that the LONG end is facing you, that would be MUCH longer than either or your Co or Or, thus more land for you to see no? All Garmin software engineers have to do is to write software so that you can turn it and have track-up with the Nuvi turned sideways. Get it?
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Actually, you're seeing MORE with a Nuvi track-up, except now you have the addition of the extra sides that you can now see with the wider screen. The Nuvi screen is bigger all around.
Yeah, you're right, you do see more on the screen in general because the screen has a lager area. But Colorado/Oregon screen is half an inch taller, so with track-up turned on, you see more of what is in front of you, enhanced by how it moves your current position lower on the screen. The trail may wiggle or change directions, but I think I'd rather always see more of what is in front of me, in the direction of travel. That's just my preference, and I'm glad we've got so many choices.
Well, that's easy for Garmin to change. It's only a software change for the Nuvi to display in either port or land. They can just put in a button that allows users to change it what they want...So agaiin, The Nuvi has the Or and Co beat...
They can even choose to stick in an accelerometer like the iPhone/Touch so that it will automatically change the view depending on how you hold the unit....
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Had replied but seems it got lost in cyberspace.
Shorter version:
I've used both a Nuvi 350 and an eTrex Venture HC for geocaching, and I have to agree with g-o-cacher. The Nuvi is absolutely fantastic for driving and worked well for caching, but the eTrex is MUCH more convenient and easier to carry and use outdoors. I'm just a casual cacher, but its form etc. makes a big difference even to me, and I'd think it would be even more important for a serious hiker or wilderness cacher.
What makes a unit great for driving navigation and what makes one great for hiking/caching are so different, it would be difficult for one unit to be best for both. Too much trade-off either way at present.
As much as I love the Nuvi for driving, I don't see the new model being the ideal unit for most cachers or hikers. For around $300 you can buy both a Nuvi and an eTrex, and avoid the Jack of all trades factor. For the only occasional cacher/camper, though, it might be a great idea if the price were low enough.
Just my experience using both types of units.
I think your negative experience is due to the fact that Garmin hasn’t implemented the auto Nuvi for hiking. So your opinion might change once they get the device design correctly. After all the Nuvi's were originally designed for car use. I’m almost 100% certain that the Nuvi’s general form factor is correct. They need to make a few changes to make it much better for hiking folks. First, they need to add more rubber to the casing for grip. They also need to reduce the case size a bit more so that it’s thinner and with a rounder smaller bezel. Add a small lanyard loop in the back and include a hand strap for people to put over their wrist. These small design changes as well as others can improve the handling of the device tremendously over the current auto Nuvi’s. Since this is their first crack at this I would give them a chance…
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I actually LIKE this form factor. It more resembles a real map. Long rectangular forms are good to hold but lousy at letting you see things around you. That's why all physical maps are shaped like Nuvi's...
I disagree... our shop produces lots of maps of all shapes and sizes, including lots of "portrait" oriented maps. All depends on what you want to see. I actually think the portrait screen orientation of hand held recreational units is superior much of the time because it is common to use track-up map orientation, and you can see further ahead of you with this screen shape. Just my opinion
Actually, you're seeing MORE with a Nuvi track-up, except now you have the addition of the extra sides that you can now see with the wider screen. The Nuvi screen is bigger all around.
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I just read that review. Here are the things that make me want to wait for the next version. 1) No Text To Speech 2) Large size of the body relative to the screen size, they made the body thicker, larger and heavier 3)The compass is a digital one not a physical one. That is, it uses the sats to figure out what direction you're pointing. Not ideal.
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I actually LIKE this form factor. It more resembles a real map. Long rectangular forms are good to hold but lousy at letting you see things around you. That's why all physical maps are shaped like Nuvi's...
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That screen isn't any bigger than that of the CO or OR so I don't see the problem [that would require more power].
You're kidding right? Take another look at the Nuvi please....
I just measured my Oregon at 3" diagonally. The nuvi 500 is 3.5", albeit with a slightly different aspect ratio.
That is what I'm saying.....a 1/3rd increase in screen size would not triple the power consumption (require 6 AA’s). For the average urbanite type GC that wants a car navigator and a usable GC GPSr this will work great (likely the design goal). Multi day trips off of the grid it will not (purchasing multiple li-ion batteries would get expensive). Too bad really....I like the form factor.
and that is where you're wrong. Although the increase doesn't seem great to you, a little incremental increase in screen size means almost an exponential increase in power consumption. It's not a 1 to 1 ratio like you think. So even though .5 inch doesn't sound like much, it is.
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Well, they should probably focus their resources on a few models rather than try to make every shape and size. I think they're taking the right steps. In the future, they can converge their trekking and auto lines into this one model. Think of how quickly they'll be able to fix bugs and improve functionality if they oonly had to work on this instead of 20 other models spread among the trekking and auto lines.
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Have you people never heard of the term convergence? This is the best of both worlds. Why would you want to buy two GPSs when you don't have to? You can now just buy one and use it for everything.
This a smart step for Garmin as they needed to show some leadership. Now if we can only get them to start eliminating so many models and focus on making a few but the best! Quality, not quantity.
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They need li-ion battery because 2 AA's will not power this thing for very long. At most, a hour or so. Do you guys see the size of that screen? That sucks up so much power. So if you want a AA solution it will take at least 4-6 AA's to get the same battery life as that one Li-ion battery. I doubt very much that anyone here would be willing to make that weight trade-off.
That screen isn't any bigger than that of the CO or OR so I don't see the problem.
You're kidding right? Take another look at the Nuvi please....
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Sounds like this is a waterproofed version, with a lack of a speaker, like the regular speakers open to the air, like my Nuvi 260W, with all the holes on back for the speaker. I would like to see spoken street names, with a cigarette lighter adaptor plugged into the 500 series nuvis, with the spoken words on the car's radio.
I think it does have a speaker. You know there are waterproof speakers, yes?
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The other thing that's missing from this is text to speech. Why did they omit this?!
Predictions:
- nuvi 560 - Text-to-speech, City Navigator + U.S. topos
- nuvi 570 - North American and European maps
- nuvi 5x0W series - 4.3" screen
LOL, you're right! I better just wait a couple of weeks...
- nuvi 560 - Text-to-speech, City Navigator + U.S. topos
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The other thing that's missing from this is text to speech. Why did they omit this?!
Also, They need li-ion battery because 2 AA's will not power this thing for very long. At most, a hour or so. Do you guys see the size of that screen? That sucks up so much power. So if you want a AA solution it will take at least 4-6 AA's to get the same battery life as that one Li-ion battery. I doubt very much that anyone here would be willing to make that weight trade-off.
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Upgrade to the Nuvi 500 Series!
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This is exactly what I thought they should replace the handhelds with. No more Colorado, Oregon....hello 500 Series!
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklo...n-nuvi-5-1.html
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I have a touch screen phone! They really are not all they are cracked up to be. screen is always dirty!
some times it won't respond after it has been a sleep for a while. I would be corius how this works next year! at 600+ it better last.
You don't have the iPhone?
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I told you people that touch screens are the future! I'm glad some of you have learn to like it.
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Seems to me there might be two screen issues. Since it's touch screen, you will basically "need" to put a protective plastic cover over it. Dirty fingers/gloves with even a little bit of dirt on them scratch plastic very easy, and anyone outdoors digging around for caches gets dirty hands. Even the best swipe on the pants leaves lots of microscopic scratching junk on the fingers. Yes many auto units have touch screens, but most people driving around don't have dusty grimy hands.
Not a big issue with something like the other outdoor GPS series where there is no need to actually touch the screen. PDA's tend to have a built-in stylus that help prevent this but this unit does not have one built-in. Of course, one could always carry an extra stylus around...
The other issue directly related to the screen is that it seems not as bright/readable during daytime viewing as the 60's or the CO in the first place. Add another layer of protective plastic over the screen and you easily lose another 5-10% light transmission to make it even more hard to view.
Not to be a naysayer, as it looks to be a nice unit. Just some things that bothered me about some touch screen PDA's in the past...
If it's anything like the Nuvi series, then it's already got one on. If you used one you would know that it has a non slippery type of screen that's a bit "soft" to the touch. It acts both as a protective cover and a non-relective screen, allowing for better handling. I have yet to hear that someone scratched their Nuvi screens. And this is after millions of them have been sold and grabbed by all sorts of dirty fingers.
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I'm going to wait for 2.0. It will only take 12-18 months. Not long at all!
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I have recurring problems with the contacts on the microSD forcing me to turn it off, remove the batteries and reseat the card. Symptoms are, maps disappear while in use. major pain when your autorouting and it can't anymore because the road has disappeared.
This is what I'm talking about. There's really no benefit in going to microSD for Garmin. Their devices are not so small to need it. The price of microSD is not cheaper than SD. The smaller chip makes it more difficult to handle and can be lost more easily. And, it looks like the smaller the item the more problematic.
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Lots of Garmin units can take cards about 4GB.
But every other device makers are already into 8gb and up!
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It's a matter of being "small", not "current".
SD cards are small enough. Their GPSs are huge. It's not a tiny little phone!
Garmin Officially Announces Oregon 550 and 550t
in GPS technology and devices
Posted · Edited by jcc123
I would rather they put in a faster processor than waste resources on a camera. I hope they come out with a model that doesn't have the camera at a lower price.
and call it the Oregon 500 and 500t